


Looming

by thunderstorm (ConsultingTimelordWizard)



Series: 30 Days of Mass Effect [4]
Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Colonist (Mass Effect), Family, Mass Effect 2, Paragon Commander Shepard, Renegade Shepard (Mass Effect)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 09:57:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12724419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingTimelordWizard/pseuds/thunderstorm
Summary: "They were the perfect good-cop-bad-cop team, and when Jane had gone after Saren without John at her side he’d given her nothing but shit for it. She kept promising she’d be fine, and John finally believed her.Then the Normandy blew into pieces, and Jane was dead for two years. John acting the way he was really shouldn’t have surprised or annoyed her as much as it did."





	Looming

“I still don’t know why you won’t let me on the Normandy.”

“For the last time, I’m not having the remaining two Shepards go onto a suicide mission. One of us has to carry on the family name.”

John stared Jane down where his hologram stood, jaw set in a way that Jane knew purely as irritation. She knew why John wanted to come: not only would he be able to blow up the Collectors once and for all, he’d also be able to keep an eye on his little sister and cover her six. During their years with the Alliance, the Shepard siblings were an unstoppable duo who got things done quickly and efficiently. They were the perfect good-cop-bad-cop team, and when Jane had gone after Saren without John at her side he’d given her nothing but shit for it. She kept promising she’d be fine, and John finally believed her.

Then the Normandy blew into pieces, and Jane was dead for two years. John acting the way he was really shouldn’t have surprised or annoyed her as much as it did.

Maybe annoyed was the wrong word. Frustrated was a close enough one, though, and she was certainly doing her best to convey that emotion to her brother now. Jane had been so excited to see John on Horizon after the Collector problem was (temporarily) dealt with, but as much as she wanted to bring him along on this mission she knew she couldn’t risk it. She wouldn’t have John die along with her if it got to that point.

“Do I really look like I give a shit about our family name?” John snapped, bringing Jane back to the present. She huffed and ran her hand through her hair (finally able to be pulled into a ponytail now that it had grown back properly) as she tried to think of a response that wouldn’t piss them both off. 

“No, but I’m not going to get you killed.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s my own decision to make, Jane. Not yours.” John paced in and out of view, Jane’s eyes tracking his every movement as if he’d just hang up on her and leave it at that. He certainly hadn’t had an issue with doing it to the Council in the small time he’d been with her on the Normandy, much to everyone’s amusement. This wasn’t politics though, at least not completely. This was Jane and John, and while Jane didn’t care if she threw her life away (she’d already been dead once), John was more than intent on keeping her alive or going in with her. She scrunched her nose up when he shot her an annoyed look, shaking his head. “I’m boarding the Normandy, Jane. That’s that.”

“I’m commander of this ship, John. You’re not stepping foot onto the Normandy.” Jane sighed when John made to rant again, holding up her hand to stop him. Miraculously, he listened, and Jane’s shoulders sagged. “You’re still Alliance, anyway, and the Normandy is technically a Cerberus vessel now. If you boarded this ship you’re in for a court martial and you know it.”

“Fuck the Alliance--”

“Don’t let them hear you say that.”

“--my fucking sister is alive again because of that group. I’m not about to let you die again because the Alliance couldn’t get their sticks out of their asses and address the real problem.” John paused and shook his head. “They dismissed everything you said about Reapers as geth attacks. They’re ignoring the disappearing colonies and only sent me to Horizon to shut people up. The Alliance and the Council currently don’t give a shit about the real issues going on in the galaxy, so if I get court martialed so be it.”

Silence hung thickly in the air between the two of them, and not for the first time Jane wished John was here so she could give him a hug. She remembered his hugs making her feel safe during stormy nights on Mindoir, protecting her from the thunder. They’d both changed so much since those days, but unlike Ashley, John knew she was still the same Jane from two years ago. They were family, how could he not?

“You’re going to regret this.”

“I’m not letting you die again, Janie. We already lost our parents, and for two years I lost you.” John blinked rapidly, and Jane’s eyes widened when she saw tears. She couldn’t remember the last time her brother had cried. “If I can help it, that’s not happening again.”

Jane said nothing at first, looking over her brother’s form and rejection hanging on her tongue. She couldn’t let him die if she could help it; it was no wonder that they were related. The rejection died on her lips, and Jane rubbed at her temples. “Joker’s bringing us into the Citadel for a supply run in a few hours. Meet me at loading dock D with your bags. You’re sleeping with the crew though,  _ Captain _ .”

“What, and you don’t?”

“Nope. I’ve got a big fancy cabin all to myself.” Jane grinned smugly. “Maybe if you’re nice I’ll even let you see it.”

“Deal. I’ll see you in a bit, Jane.” He went to hang up, but stopped himself to look at his sister one more time. “You won’t regret it. We’ll both be safe and alive by the time this shit’s over.”

John’s image disappeared, and Jane stared where her brother had been moments before. “I hope so,” she said to the empty room, turning on her heel and leaving to make her rounds through the rest of the ship.


End file.
